Andrew Smith For Colorado HD 16

I chose to run for House District 16 because I want to support our local families and our local economy. I'm an Army veteran who supports our public workers, and I'm a Democrat who wants to work across the aisle with Republicans in the Colorado House.
I want to be a voice for our community, and represent our neighbors with respect and civility, working in a way that makes us all proud. House District 16 represents a diverse group of people, including marginalized communities. I will work to dissolve stereotypes and create a district where, together, we can bring about genuine, long-term change that improves the lives of people across different backgrounds.

When I was growing up, my family faced challenges that will feel familiar to far too many Coloradans. My family was of modest means, and by the time I turned 14, we were homeless. At 16, I was living on my own. Then, two months after I turned 18, I joined the Army and took a tour in Iraq. I was married while in the Army, and my wife Bre and I became teen parents. While we met with incredible difficulty, we created a family that has brought me more joy—and taught me more about myself—than I would have expected in…

Colorado’s economy is booming, but it’s a tide that has lifted only a few boats. Too many of our friends, families and neighbors have been left high and dry. Looking into the data from our district, House of Representatives District 16, reveal a startling statistic. Despite high levels of employment, nearly 67% of households with children are living in poverty! Hard work is not being rewarded, and despite their best efforts, many parents are not earning a living wage. As an elected official, I would encourage voters to allow minimum wages to be set based on the cost of living in…

While most westerners are well aware that Colorado is home to a booming fossil fuel industry—including oil, natural gas and coal—far fewer realize that Colorado has the 7th largest solar photovoltaic market and the tenth largest wind market in the US. It may also be a surprise to learn that Colorado already employs more solar installers than coal miners. Colorado has been pushing for innovative solutions in energy, and we should ensure that our pace doesn’t slow down. Renewable energy allows for us to bring jobs to Colorado while simultaneously lowering utility costs. Colorado, the state that houses the National Renewable Energy…

Healthcare is one of the basic rights all people should have. While Colorado is one of just 12 U.S. states that run its own healthcare exchange (for those who don’t get health insurance from their jobs), and it is fairly strong, Coloradans are being forced to allocate too much of their income to ensure we maintain our health. On one hand, Colorado’s healthcare exchange offered 124 plans from 7 companies in 2018, but the cost of those plans is going up every year. The average rate increase for 2018, over 2017 rates, will be about 32.7 percent! Refusing to address the failing…

Education is one of the greatest indicators of what our future will look like. However, many issues surround the education system in Colorado. Our schools have failing infrastructures, our teachers and administrators are making borderline poverty wages, and our children are being forced to deal with the impacts. Rankings collected by Great Education Colorado make these financial challenges clear: Compared to the other 50 states, Colorado ranks: 50th in teacher wage competitiveness (comparing pay of teachers to non-teachers with similar education, experience and hours worked) 49th in number of novice teachers in the classroom 41st in pupil-teacher ratio 40th in per pupil spending 39th in…